या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu
Ya De-vi Sar-va Bhu-te-shu Shak-ti Ru-pe-na Sam-sthi-ta, Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mo Na-mah
Listen & Chant Along
Listen & chant along — performed by Edo & Jo
"To the Goddess who abides in all beings as power — again and again, salutations to her"
Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता । नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
Transliteration
Ya De-vi Sar-va Bhu-te-shu Shak-ti Ru-pe-na Sam-sthi-ta, Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mas-ta-syai Na-mo Na-mah
Pronunciation
yah DAY-vee SAR-vah bhoo-TAY-shoo SHAHK-tee roo-PAY-nah sahm-STHEE-tah, nah-mahs-TAHS-yai nah-mahs-TAHS-yai nah-mahs-TAHS-yai NAH-moh NAH-mah-hah
Deity / Quality Invoked
The Divine Mother
Full Translation
This verse honors the Goddess who dwells in every being in the form of shakti — power, energy, capacity itself: "To that Devi who abides in all beings as power, salutations to her, salutations to her, salutations to her, again and again." In the full hymn the verse repeats with different divine qualities — as consciousness, as peace, as compassion, as mother.
Spiritual Significance
The mantra trains the eye to see the divine feminine not as distant but as the very energy animating everything — the strength in the body, the intelligence in nature, the compassion in the heart. Its triple "namastasyai" builds like a wave, making it a natural chant for group devotion to the Goddess.
Cultural Context & History
The verse comes from the Devi Suktam of the Devi Mahatmya (Chandi Path), the central scripture of Goddess worship, recited especially during Navaratri. Sacred chant duo Edo & Jo recorded a meditative "Ya Devi" setting, and the hymn is sung in Devi temples and kirtan gatherings alike.
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
C
Tempo & feel
Gentle meditative sway (~108 bpm); long, patient rounds
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. gentle meditative sway over the drone: grounded 1, feathered ups; long patient rounds.
Call & Response Structure
The Devi Suktam verse rests on a C drone with a recurring Dm–F rise carrying each phrase back home. The threefold 'Namastasyai' rides that same lift, resolving to C on the final 'Namo Namaha'; G appears only at section turns. A long-form meditation — the harmony barely moves, so let dynamics and layering do the building.
Terms in the Glossary
Words from this page, explained in our A–Z reference.